View source for WCQS

{{short description|Public radio station in Asheville, North Carolina, United States}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name                = WCQS
| city                = [[Asheville, North Carolina]]
| country             = US
| above               = Blue Ridge Public Radio [[Flagship (broadcasting)|Flagship Station]]
| logo                = Blue Ridge Public Radio.png
| logo_size           = 200px
| logo_alt            =
| logo_caption        =
| image               = BPR News Logo.png
| area                = [[Western North Carolina]]
| frequency           = 88.1 [[MHz]] {{HD Radio}}
| rds                 =
| branding            = {{ubl|Blue Ridge Public Radio|BPR News}}
| languages           =
| format              = [[Public radio]] ([[talk radio|news/talk]])
| subchannels         = HD2: [[Simulcast]] of [[WYQS]]
| network             =
| affiliations        = {{ubl|[[NPR]]|[[BBC World Service]]|[[Public Radio Exchange]]|[[American Public Media]]}}
| owner               = Western North Carolina Public Radio, Inc.
| licensee            =
| operator            =
| sister_stations     = [[WYQS]]
| founded             =
| airdate             = {{Start date and age|1975|8|28}}
| last_airdate        =
| former_callsigns    = WUNF-FM (1974–1984)
| former_names        =
| former_frequencies  =
| callsign_meaning    =
| licensing_authority = [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]]
| facility_id         = 71923
| class               = C3
| power               =
| erp                 = 1,900 [[watt]]s
| haat                = {{Convert|356|m|ft|sp=us}}
| coordinates         = {{Coord|35.589806|-82.673722|type:landmark_region:US-NC_source:FCC|display=title,inline}}
| translators         = {{ubl|See {{section link||Translators}}|HD2: See {{section link|WYQS|Translators}}}}
| repeaters           = See {{section link||Repeaters}}
| webcast             =
| website             = {{url|www.bpr.org}}
}}
'''WCQS''' (88.1 [[FM broadcasting|FM]]) is a [[non-commercial educational station|non-commercial]] [[public radio]] [[radio station|station]] in [[Asheville, North Carolina]], serving [[Western North Carolina]].  It airs a [[talk radio|news and talk]] [[radio format]] and is owned by Western North Carolina Public Radio, Inc.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=WCQS |title=WCQS Facility Record |work=United States [[Federal Communications Commission]], audio division |access-date=2009-02-25 |archive-date=2001-09-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010910200811/http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=WCQS |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www1.arbitron.com/sip/displaySip.do?surveyID=SU08&band=fm&callLetter=WCQS|title=WCQS Station Information Profile|publisher=[[Arbitron]]|access-date=2009-02-25|archive-date=2012-06-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120601104100/http://www1.arbitron.com/sip/displaySip.do?surveyID=SU08&band=fm&callLetter=WCQS|url-status=live}}</ref> It airs programming from [[NPR]], [[American Public Media]] and the [[Public Radio Exchange]] and is the [[flagship station]] of '''Blue Ridge Public Radio'''. It carries locally produced news and music shows, under the '''BPR News''' branding.  The [[BBC World Service]] is heard overnight.
WCQS is a [[list of broadcast station classes|Class C3]] station.  It has an [[effective radiated power]] (ERP) of 1,900 [[watt]]s, with an [[FCC]] [[construction permit]] to increase power to 5,000 watts.<ref>[https://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=wcqs&fileno=&state=&city=&freq=0.0&fre2=107.9&serv=-1&status=&facid=&asrn=&class=&list=0&NextTab=Results+to+Next+Page%2FTab&dist=&dlat2=&mlat2=&slat2=&NS=N&dlon2=&mlon2=&slon2=&EW=W&size=9 FCC.gov/WCQS]</ref>  The [[transmitter]] is on High Top Mountain Road in Asheville.<REF>[https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/finder?sr=Y&s=C&call=wcqs&nav=home Radio-Locator.com/WCQS]</REF>  Serving 14 counties across the mountainous terrain of Western North Carolina requires Blue Ridge Public Radio to broadcast on a host of [[sister station]]s and [[FM translator]]s to effectively reach its audience.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://bpr.org/stations|title=WNC Frequencies {{!}} Blue Ridge Public Radio|access-date=2017-09-23|language=en|archive-date=2020-11-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120164221/https://www.bpr.org/wnc-frequencies-blue-ridge-public-radio|url-status=live}}</ref> It can also be heard online via the Blue Ridge Public Radio app, and on the BPR website.
==History==
===Early years===
WCQS began August 28, 1975,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55131755/|accessdate=July 10, 2020|date=August 28, 1975|pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55131791/ 11]|title=Radio Station At UNC-A Begins Broadcasts Today|work=The Asheville Citizen|archive-date=November 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120164222/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55131755/radio-station-at-unc-a-begins/|url-status=live}}</ref> as WUNF-FM, a 10-watt station (later upgraded to 110-watt station) operated by the [[University of North Carolina at Asheville]] from the Lipinski Student Center. Western North Carolina Public Radio bought the station in 1984, changed the [[call sign]] to WCQS, and immediately secured a membership agreement with NPR. While most of the station's coverage area was served by [[South Carolina Educational Television|South Carolina Educational Radio]]'s [[The Upstate|Upstate]] outlet, [[WEPR]] in [[Greenville, South Carolina|Greenville]], WNCPR wanted to build a station that would be tailored to the area's interests.
Eventually, the station increased its power to 1,600 watts, still a fairly modest level for a full NPR member on the FM band. This may be due to the need to protect [[WRVL]] in [[Lynchburg, Virginia]], located at adjacent 88.3. As a result, even though its transmitter is located {{convert|3609|ft|m}} above sea level, its coverage area is effectively limited to Asheville and its close-in suburbs in [[Buncombe County, North Carolina|Buncombe]], [[Haywood County, North Carolina|Haywood]] and [[Henderson County, North Carolina|Henderson]] counties.
In 2005, WNCPR bought WVMH, a radio station operated by [[Mars Hill College]], and changed its call sign to [[WYQS]]. Originally a straight [[simulcast]] of WCQS, it broke off in 2008 to air the BBC World Service full-time, and continued to do so until early 2017.
===Changes in staff===
In the summer of 2010, Jody Evans joined WCQS as executive director, replacing Ed Subkis, who had held the job for 18 years. Evans wanted WCQS to become a source for news and information, and she planned on more local news coverage and working with other news media.  One joint project was live broadcasts from [[Brevard Music Center]], which would use the resources of [[WDAV]] in the [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]] area.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20100802/NEWS/308020021/1035/ent|title=New WCQS executive director Jody Evans aims for more voices, more listeners|last=Sandford|first=Jason|work=[[Asheville Citizen-Times]]|date=2010-08-02|accessdate=2010-08-06}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref>
Evans said in February 2011 that WCQS would have more emphasis on local news, and that David Hurand's evening shows ''Byline'', ''Conversations'', and ''Evening Rounds'' would be dropped. Hurand added local news reports during the more popular shows ''[[Morning Edition]]'' and ''[[All Things Considered]]''.  New national shows being added included ''[[Marketplace (radio program)|Marketplace]]'' and ''[[The Splendid Table]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20110215/NEWS/302150028/WCQS-revamps-local-focus?odyssey=mod%7cnewswell%7ctext%7cFrontpage%7cs|title=WCQS revamps local focus|last=Motsinger|first=Carol|work=Asheville Citizen-Times|date=2011-02-15|accessdate=2011-02-15}}</ref>
On March 24, 2013, WCQS added WMQS at 88.5 FM, to serve the [[Murphy, North Carolina|Murphy]] area.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20130325/NEWS01/303250014/WCQS-signal-expands-west?nclick_check=1|title=WCQS signal expands west|last=Kiss|first=Tony|work=Asheville Citizen-Times|date=2013-03-24|accessdate=2013-03-27}}</ref>
July 2015 saw the arrival of a new general manager and CEO, David Feingold.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.citizen-times.com/story/money/2015/10/12/wcqs-redefining-public-radio/73435130/|title=CEO at Asheville's WCQS is redefining public radio|work=Citizen Times|access-date=2017-09-23|language=en|archive-date=2020-11-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120164222/https://www.citizen-times.com/story/money/2015/10/12/wcqs-redefining-public-radio/73435130/|url-status=live}}</ref>  Matt Bush replaced Hurand as News Editor the following year.
=== Relaunch and BPR News ===
In the spring of 2017, WCQS and its associated stations rebranded as "Blue Ridge Public Radio". WCQS (and its repeaters and translators) became "BPR Classic", retaining their established format of NPR programming and [[classical music]]. As part of the relaunch, on March 6, 2017, WYQS relaunched as "BPR News", an all news-and-talk station airing BBC and NPR programming around the clock.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2017/02/14/changes-wcqs-new-station-wnc/97698218/|title=Changes for WCQS, new station in WNC|work=Citizen Times|access-date=2017-09-23|language=en|archive-date=2020-09-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929202037/https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2017/02/14/changes-wcqs-new-station-wnc/97698218/|url-status=live}}</ref> Its launch ended the 24-hour carriage of the BBC World Service after almost a decade.
Since WYQS operates at only 100 watts, it is available on WCQS's [[HD Radio]] [[digital subchannel|subchannel]] WCQS HD-2 and online.
On October 11, 2022, Blue Ridge Public Radio announced that it would swap the formats of WCQS and WYQS on October 31, with "BPR News" airing on WCQS and its satellites and "BPR Classic" moving to WYQS and [[WZQS]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Blue Ridge Public Radio To Swap Network Frequencies |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/243887/blue-ridge-public-radio-to-swap-network-frequencies/ |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=RadioInsight |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Repeaters==
WCQS operates two full-powered rebroadcasters: WFQS in [[Franklin, North Carolina|Franklin]] at 91.3 FM and WMQS in [[Murphy, North Carolina|Murphy]] at 88.5 FM.  In addition, there are nine low-powered translators to serve its vast and mountainous coverage area.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! [[Call signs in North America|Call sign]]
! data-sort-type="number" | [[Frequency]]
! [[City of license]]
! data-sort-type="number" | [[Facility ID]]
! [[List of North American broadcast station classes|Class]]
! data-sort-type="number" | [[Effective radiated power|ERP]]<br />([[watt|W]])
! data-sort-type="number" | [[Height above average terrain|Height]]<br />([[Metre|m]] ([[Foot (unit)|ft]]))
! class="unsortable" | Transmitter coordinates
|-
| {{rh}} | WFQS || 91.3 FM || [[Franklin, North Carolina]] || {{FID|71880}} || C3 || 265 || {{Convert|702|m|ft|sp=us}} || {{coord|35|10|24.3|N|83|34|51.5|W|region:US-NC_type:landmark|name=WFQS}}
|-
| {{rh}} | WMQS || 88.5 FM || [[Murphy, North Carolina]] || {{FID|173770}} || A || 49 || {{Convert|196|m|ft|sp=us}} || {{coord|35|7|37.3|N|84|1|34.6|W|region:US-NC_type:landmark|name=WMQS}}
|}
===Translators===
{{RadioTranslators
| call1    = W298AY
| freq1    = 107.5
| fid1     = 156260
| watts1   = 10
| haat1    = 76.6
| class1   = D
| city1    = Black Mountain, North Carolina
| coord1   = {{coord|35|37|44.4|N|82|20|45.4|W|region:US-NC_type:landmark|name=W298AY}}
| notes1   =
| call2    = W213BX
| freq2    = 90.5
| fid2     = 71882
| watts2   = 10
| haat2    = 411.2
| class2   = D
| city2    = Brevard, North Carolina
| coord2   = {{coord|35|10|34.4|N|82|40|54.4|W|region:US-NC_type:landmark|name=W213BX}}
| notes2   =
| call3    = W234AS
| freq3    = 94.7
| fid3     = 144135
| watts3   = 10
| haat3    = 267.9
| class3   = D
| city3    = Bryson City, North Carolina
| coord3   = {{coord|35|24|47.3|N|83|30|1.5|W|region:US-NC_type:landmark|name=W234AS}}
| notes3   =
| call4    = W209AD
| freq4    = 89.7
| fid4     = 71878
| watts4   = 8.9
| haat4    = 0
| class4   = D
| city4    = Clyde, North Carolina
| coord4   = {{coord|35|34|6.3|N|82|54|26.4|W|region:US-NC_type:landmark|name=W209AD}}
| notes4   =
| call5    = W209AE
| freq5    = 89.7
| fid5     = 71879
| watts5   = 19
| haat5    = 0
| class5   = D
| city5    = Cullowhee, North Carolina{{!}}Cullowhee, etc., North Carolina
| coord5   = {{coord|35|18|50.2|N|83|12|4.1|W|region:US-NC_type:landmark|name=W209AE}}
| notes5   =
| call6    = W277CU
| freq6    = 103.3
| fid6     = 81929
| watts6   = 10
| haat6    = 0
| class6   = D
| city6    = Highlands, North Carolina
| coord6   = {{coord|35|2|21.3|N|83|13|3.5|W|region:US-NC_type:landmark|name=W277CU}}
| notes6   =
| call7    = W218AB
| freq7    = 91.5
| fid7     = 71924
| watts7   = 10
| haat7    = 0
| class7   = D
| city7    = Sylva, North Carolina
| coord7   = {{coord|39|22|1.3|N|83|13|17.5|W|region:US-NC_type:landmark|name=W218AB}}
| notes7   =
| call8    = W268BS
| freq8    = 101.5
| fid8     = 148869
| watts8   = 10
| haat8    = 0
| class8   = D
| city8    = Tryon, North Carolina
| coord8   = {{coord|35|16|0.4|N|82|14|33.4|W|region:US-NC_type:landmark|name=W268BS}}
| notes8   =
| call9    = W275BU
| freq9    = 102.9
| fid9     = 71881
| watts9   = 125
| haat9    = 0
| class9   = D
| city9    = Waynesville, North Carolina
| coord9   = {{coord|35|27|43.3|N|83|6|25.5|W|region:US-NC_type:landmark|name=W275BU}}
| notes9   =
}}
The Bryson City and Highlands translators are nominally part of the WFQS license.  However, WFQS is a straight simulcast of WCQS.
The reception areas of WCQS and WYQS overlap significantly in some areas due to the topography, giving listeners more programming choices. The station also makes efforts to push uptake of its mobile app and streaming services.
These are former translators that have been moved to new frequencies:
* 95.3 W237AR, [[Hazelwood, North Carolina]] - moved to 102.9 W275BU<ref>{{cite web |publisher=FCC Media Bureau |work=CDBS Public Access Database |title=Call Sign History |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=71881&Callsign=W275BU |accessdate=November 29, 2020}}</ref>
* 101.7 W269AY, [[Highlands, North Carolina]] - moved to 103.3 W277CU<ref>{{cite web |publisher=FCC Media Bureau |work=CDBS Public Access Database |title=Call Sign History |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=81929&Callsign=W277CU |accessdate=November 29, 2020}}</ref>
On October 31, 2022, W213BX swapped places with W268CL, which was simulcasting [[WYQS|WCQS-HD2]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bpr.org/bprs-big-switch|title=BPR's Big Switch|archive-url=https://archive.today/20221019214132/https://www.bpr.org/bprs-big-switch|publisher=Blue Ridge Public Radio|access-date=October 19, 2022|archive-date=October 19, 2022}}</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* {{Official website|www.bpr.org}}
* {{FM station data|71923|WCQS}}
* {{FM station data|71880|WFQS}}
* {{FM station data|173770|WMQS}}
{{Asheville Radio}}
{{NPR North Carolina}}
[[Category:Radio stations in Asheville, North Carolina|CQS]]
[[Category:NPR member stations]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1975]]
[[Category:1975 establishments in North Carolina]]